Hot and Cold
by Firstlady1408
Summary: MarthaAaron. Final part in the Cold as Ice and Hot as Summer trilogy. Now Martha has made her home back in L.A how does Aaron fit in? More to the point can she use her charms to make him feel truly at home!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Martha lay back on the sun lounger on her back patio and looked out at the hills below her. She thought to herself again how much more at home she felt here. After the politics of Washington, she was happy to be back in Los Angeles. She had moved back only a few weeks earlier, and there were still boxes to be unpacked, but on a day like today when the sun was shining and the sky was blue, she was content to lie back and soak up the sun. Closing her eyes behind her Jackie O.-style sun glasses, she sank further into the lounge chair and wondered when he would arrive. He had done as he had promised and assigned himself to her new detail. Of course, no longer being the First Lady, she now only required three agents at any one time. One stationed with her, one outside her new house and one at the gate house at the end of her drive. Of course being lead agent had to have some perks and he made sure that during his shifts he was at her side. She stirred as she heard murmered voices behind her and felt the familiar fluttering in her stomach as she recognized his voice. Resisting the urge to jump up from where she lay, she remained still and waited for Agent Hemlett to leave. She smiled to herself as she realized she had remembered the Agent's name. Obviously, there were now fewer of them, but one thing Aaron had insisted on was that she took the time to learn all her protectors' names, and not just his. Hearing footsteps approach her, she turned slightly.

"I'm done for the day, ma'am. Agent Pierce is here."

She forced herself not to turn to look at him, not yet. Instead she smiled at Agent Hemlett, "Thank you, Rob. I'll see you tomorrow. You give that new baby of yours a big kiss from me." She smiled. "Will do, ma'am." Agent Hemlett turned to leave and once again thanked his lucky stars Aaron has requested him for this assignment. After the formalities of the White House, it was a nice change to be working for such a friendly woman. He glanced back to Aaron who stood stiffly at the patio doors and nodded slightly. Yes, he owed Aaron a lot, and after working with him for over ten years, he had never seen his friend happier. Of course, he wasn't one for gossip, one couldnt afford to be in this job. But he had noticed the change in Aaron when he was around the former First Lady. He had never seen him so happy, though he tried to hide it well. Glancing back as he reached the side of the house, he noticed Aaron had left his place at the doors and was making his way over to where she lay. Smiling to himself, he turned and kept walking. No, he wasn't one for gossip.

"You know you're gonna burn again if you lie out here." Aaron knelt by her side and let his finger stroke her arm ever so slightly.

Martha peered over the top of her oversized glasses at him and smiled. "If I recall, you didn't complain too much last time."

"Well someone had to rub in that aftersun lotion, and I sure as hell wasn't gonna let Agent Hemlett do it!"

Martha grinned and, pulling herself into a sitting position, took off her glasses. Blinking slightly at the sun's glare, she looked at him. "Good afternoon, Aaron."

"Good afternoon, Martha." He smiled as she reached for his hand and pulled him toward her. Then just as quickly, he glanced around the garden to make sure they were alone. Seeing Agent Hemlett had indeed left, he allowed himself to be pulled into her embrace.

Martha smiled to herself as he took in their surroundings. Even after the few weeks they had been there, he was still so careful that no one but the two of them knew how their relationship had progressed. Watching him glance around, she thought to herself that progressed was maybe too strong a word to use. They had stolen many a kiss, and even rounded to second base when she had burnt herself the week before, but Aaron was still ever the gentleman. And while at first she found it endearing, she was beginning to find it frustrating. Pushing the thought from her mind, she fixed her lips to his and once again found herself lost in his kiss. She twisted on the lounge chair so she was almost in his lap and pressed her body against his, the thin cotton of her tank top allowing her to feel the muscles beneath his thin shirt. Moving her hands to his hair, she deepened the kiss, her tongue seeking out every part of his mouth. Feeling his arms tighten around her, she gasped into his mouth and pulled away slightly. Keeping her forehead against his, she whispered into his still-open mouth. "You know there are still boxes to be unpacked upstairs."

Aaron pulled away and looked at her flushed face. "Martha," he said uncertainly.

"What?" she replied, standing up and taking his hand in hers. "You were the one who suggested I get out of the sun." She smiled innocently at him and tightened her grip on his hand as he allowed her to lead him back toward the house.

"I meant so you didn't burn again." He smiled at her as she led him through the doors into the kitchen.

"Well, either way, you wanted me indoors, and here we are." She turned and backed him against the kitchen unit, running her fingers up and down his sleeves. She placed featherlike kisses along his jawline as she spoke. "And like I said, there is still unpacking to be done in my room. So why don't we finish this conversation there." She stopped and looked at him intently.

Aaron closed his eyes as her mouth traced kisses along his jaw. Every time. Every time he was in the same room as this amazing woman, he was lost. Lost in her kisses, lost in her scent, lost in her softly spoken words. Realizing she had stopped kissing him, he opened his eyes to see her big blue ones staring at him, waiting for an answer to an unanswered question. "I'm sorry, Martha, what did you say?" He looked at her as she raised her eyebrows and repeated her question.

"I said, why don't we finish this conversation upstairs?" she purred into his ear, gently nibbling at the lobe before seeking out his mouth again. Before she could reach it, she found herself being moved back. Not a lot, but enough to notice the distance between them. She opened her eyes and looked at him. "What is it?"

"Nothing, nothing," he laughed, pulling her close again and placing a chaste kiss on her lips. "Come on, you must be thirsty after soaking up all that sun. Let me make us some juice." Squirming out of her embrace, he started toward the fridge. Martha stared at his retreating back. "You want ice?" he called over his shoulder.

"An icy shower, maybe." Martha murmured under her breath.

"What?"

"Sure, ice would be good." She watched as he poured them both a drink and wondered how one minute they were inches from running up the stairs, and the next, she was watching him play Martha Stewart in her kitchen. But she smiled as he handed her a glass. The mood may have been broken just now, but she was not a quitter and she had other thoughts on how to get it back.

"Okay, okay. I got _Steel Magnolias_, _Pretty Woman_, umm..."

Aaron smiled as he watched Martha lying on her living room floor pulling out DVDs and tossing them to one side. For someone who had always kept her rooms in absolute precision, she sure was enjoying being in her own house and being able to make as much mess as she liked. Grinning at the back of her head, he quickly hid it as she turned to face him.

"Are you listening, or just admiring me from behind?" she smirked over at him.

"Can't I do both?" he smiled back.

"So, which is it? Or I have _Ghost,_ oooor..." She reached to the back of the shelf and pulled out another. "Oh! _Breakfast at Tiffany's! _I haven't seen that in years." Pulling herself to a sitting position on the rug, she looked up at Aaron. "Well, your call."

"Martha. Do you happen to have anything in that vacuum of a shelf that does not bear all the makings of a...what would Nate call it?...A chick flick?"

"Are you criticizing my taste in movies? Because if you think you can do better, there is plenty of room down here for you, too, you know." She grinned and before he could reply, had grabbed him by the ankles and pulled him toward her. Losing his balance, he fell to the floor beside her. She batted her long eyelashes at him and reached out for his arms pulling him toward her. "See? Plenty of room," she purred into his ear and gently began to nip at the lobe. "Of course, I do have other choices in my bedroom, you know." She continued to nip at his neck until she reached his mouth. Pulling away slightly, she gazed into his eyes and licked her lips. "Maybe you'll find something you like better upstairs." Leaning in to him, she stopped when she noticed he had pulled away slightly. Looking into his eyes her expression changed from flirtatious to puzzled as he moved further away from her grasp.

"I'm sure whatever is down here is fine." He reached out and stroked her cheek before retreating to the couch. Sitting back, he noticed her eyes clouding over. He knew he had hurt her, yet he couldn't help but remember that another Agent was positioned right outside the window of the room they were in, and as much as he wanted to whisk her in his arms and take her upstairs, he knew that while he was on her detail, he couldn't. The first rule they were taught at the academy was never grow attatched to your charge. Well, he had broken that rule. But he knew that even now, his primary task was her protection, and while he could justify at least to himself the stolen kisses and hugs, anything more would make him lose focus on the most important thing to him: her safety. Smiling back at her, he noticed she had retreated under the shelf again. "Martha...?"

"It's fine, Aaron." Her voice was shaky, and she would not turn to look at him. Pretending to flick through more DVDs, she reached up to wipe a tear from her eye. She wasn't sure what she had done, but she didn't like the way it was making her feel. When they had left DC for Los Angeles, everything had seemed so perfect. They would finally be together and alone. But in the weeks that had followed, yes, Aaron had been attentive, and even romantic at times. She smiled as she remembered the first night she had spent in the house. Aaron was on the overnight shift and had swept the upstairs before allowing her to go to bed. When she finally had left him downstairs, she had almost burst into tears. As she had entered her bedroom she found a single red rose placed on her pillow. Yes, she had thought she would have everything she had always dreamed of, but something was stopping Aaron from letting himself go completely, and if truth be told, she found herself acting like a sex-starved teenager when she was around him. Wiping another unshed tear, she pasted a grin on her face and pulled out a movie. "Here." She threw it at him, smiling as he fumbled to catch it. "This will do fine."

Aaron turned the box over in his hand and looked at the cover. "_Jaws_?"

"Why not? Everything else down here pretty much involves the same plot. Boy meets girl. They fall in love. Girl gets a life threatening illness. Boy loses girl. We all cry. At least with this we know what to expect."

"Okay." Aaron moved to the entertainment center and placed the disc in the player, while he watched Martha pick up the rest of the scattered movies. Throwing them to one side, she took a position on the far side of the couch, tucking her legs underneath her and holding a cushion to her chest. Picking up the remote Aaron, moved to sit on the other side of the couch. He knew she was upset, but he wasn't sure how he could make her feel better. The room darkened as the opening credits of the film began, and Aaron reached over to her and took her hand in his. Glancing over at her, he was pleased when she smiled and squeezed his hand in response.

"Oh god, I hate this bit." Martha squealed as she again hid behind the cushion she was holding. " I must have seen this movie twenty times and I know the head's gonna pop out..." Aaron focused on the screen, and sure enough, when the head fell out of the bottom of the boat and scared the bejesus out of Richard Dreyfuss, Martha shrieked and moved across the couch, cuddling in to Aaron's side and burrowing her head in his chest. "Every damn time!" she said, her voice muffled into his shirt. Smiling, Aaron placed an arm around her and allowed himself to hold her to him.

"Darlin', if you hate this movie so much, why are we watching it?" he whispered to the top of her head and jumped as she quickly turned to face him.

"Hate it? Are you kidding? It's a classic. I just don't hold a great affinity for sharks, is all."

"Well, that I can understand, although I think if they had Flipper in the lead role, the movie may not have done so well." He was pleased when her face broke into a huge grin.

"Well, you know what may take my mind off all those big teeth?" she purred, and inched her way up his body. "And it's certainly not Flipper!" Leaning in, she captured his mouth with hers and slowly allowed her tongue to lazily slide across his closed mouth. After a few seconds, she was pleased when Aaron's mouth opened in response, and she wasted no time in slipping her tongue into the hotness of his mouth. She moaned slightly as he allowed his hands to slide up her back into her hair, tugging on it gently as she increased the pressure in his mouth.

Aaron let his body press against hers and battled for control of their mouths, stroking her silken hair he opened his eyes to take in her beauty, glancing over her shoulder he jumped and pushed Martha to one side. Unfortunately, during their embrace she was perched rather precariously on the edge of the couch, and all that was keeping her there was his embrace. Before he could stop her, she had rather ungracefully fallen to the plush carpet. "Oh god! Martha, are you...?"

Her head shot up to glare at him from her position on the floor. "Aaron! What in the world?" Moving herself slightly to a more comfortable position, she again glared at him.

"Martha, I am so sorry...its just..." He pointed to the window just a few feet away from them. Martha looked up and could see the shadow of Agent Harris' back through the soft voile. "I didn't want him to see...I...Here, let me help you up. Are you sure you're okay?"

Martha shook of his hand as he reached out to her. "I can get up by myself, Aaron. That's if you haven't broken any major bones!" Pulling herself into a standing position, she stood facing him with her hands on her hips. "You know, we have been here for more than a month now, I think the other agents have a pretty good idea of what is going on here, and as none of them have made advances toward me, I think its pretty safe to assume they know it's just you, and I don't kiss all my bodyguards."

"You think they know? I mean, about us?"

"Aaron, they work for the Secret Service, not Wal-Mart! I think its pretty safe to assume they have a few brain cells between them to put two and two together and realize what's going on here, or at least what I _thought _was going on here."

Aaron picked up the remote and muted the TV. "And what is that supposed to mean?" He sat back in the couch and folded his arms.

"It means...Oh, hell, Aaron, I don't know what it means. Forget it." Sighing deeply, she flung herself to the far end of the sofa and closed her eyes. Opening them when she felt his warm hand close over hers.

"Martha, I came here with you because I couldn't bear the thought of you being more than a few feet away from me, you know that. But I also came here to do a job, and while the occasional diversion from that job is more than pleasant and even needed, anything more than that is just not possible. Not while I am still on your detail. When your divorce comes through and a suitable amount of time has passed, I will be the happiest man alive to be able to publicly declare my feelings for you, but until that day comes, whether the other agents think they know or not, we have to be careful. Alright?" He squeezed her hand, hoping she understood the predicament he was in. If she thought that holding back was any easier for him, then she was wrong. So wrong.

Martha looked up into his eyes and smiled weakly. She knew what he was saying was right. But on days like this, she didn't want to do what was right, she had done that all her life. But she knew the importance of his work and the risk he was taking being with her, and no matter how hard it may be to her, she knew he felt the same way, and she had waited nearly forty years to find a man she truly loved. What was another few months? Picking up the remote she flicked the sound back on. "Lets just watch the end of the movie." Smiling at him to soften her words, she curled up at the far side of the sofa and watched the screen. Glancing back over at him she smiled as his face relaxed again. "Cushion!"

"What?" He looked over at her puzzled.

"If I can't hide behind you, give me my cushion back!"

He grinned and threw the cushion over to her, she caught it and held it up to her face. Turning once again to face him, she grinned. "You know, we could always draw the curtains."

Sighing deeply, he looked over at her, "Martha, it's the middle of the day. What would people think?"

Pouting, she again returned her stare to the television. "It was just a suggestion." Finding her place in the movie, she watched as the townsfolk argued about who was going to catch the shark that had invaded their town. Smiling from behind her cushion, she thought about other ways she could catch her fish. Because no matter what he said, she knew there were ways around this, and above all, Martha Logan always got her man.


	2. Chapter 2

Martha sat at her kitchen table, flicking through the day's mail. Since she had moved into her new house, she was amazed at how quickly word had gotten around. She had been receiving letters of support since the day she had moved in, from friends she had not seen since high school -- even letters from the public. Of course, all of them had been opened and checked by her detail, and she was sure the less-friendly ones had been weeded out and thrown away. Since her refusal to comply with the White House's version of events, she had not heard from Hal Gardner, and the press were still having a grand old time coming up with different stories to explain why she was no longer at her husband's side. She smiled to herself as she pulled out another letter as she thought how Beth Gardner must be feeling. Even though she was no longer First Lady, she was gathering more press interest now than when she had held the title. Glancing at yet another letter of support from a name she didn't recognize, she threw the unread letters to one side and sat back in her chair. Glancing out of the window at Agent Harris, she sighed as she thought back to the days when her movements had not been monitored at every turn. Screwing up her eyes, she remembered yesterday. She and Aaron had watched the remainder of the movie in silence, aside from the occasional squeal from Martha when Jaws attacked -- which was always followed by a low chuckle from Aaron. After the film, she had suggested they go out for dinner, a suggestion which Aaron quickly brushed aside, saying he wasn't in the mood, and maybe they could get take-out.

Martha opened her eyes and sighed. It wasn't that she didn't understand Aaron's reluctance to take their relationship to the next step; she did. And if she was totally honest with herself, she agreed with him. However, that did not stop the feelings in her when he was around, the urge to drag him upstairs and rip off his clothes was growing stronger every day. Standing up, she made her way over to the large fridge and pulled out a bottle of water, taking a gulp. How naive had she been, she thought to herself. When they had agreed Aaron would move with her to L.A., she had visions of them being together, and not just in the _that_ sense. She had thoughts of them going to dinner, maybe even take in a movie, something she had not been able to do in years. She sighed again and inwardly chastised herself. Life was never going to be like her fairytale, and at this very moment she wasn't even sure she would get her prince.

Aaron stopped at the gate house positioned at the end of Martha's drive and nodded at the agent inside. "Afternoon." He murmured. "Everything alright?"

The agent looked up at his boss and nodded in the affirmative. "All quiet, Sir. There were a few letters again this morning, but we took care of them."

Aaron winced as he thought of the letters that had first arrived in the hundreds, but had now petered out to a few a day. Mainly from people so far to the right, they still believed crucifixion a suitable form of punishment, and all saying the same thing. How could she leave her husband in his time of need? How could she break the vows she had made to the former President and not stand by him in sickness and in health? Aaron was sure his new Martha would be unaffected by them, but he had chosen to keep the letters from her. He didn't want her unnecessarily upset. "Good work." He smiled at the agent. "I'll be heading on to the house to relieve Agent Harris."

"Yes sir."

Aaron began the short walk up the driveway and thought back to yesterday. Martha had been unusually quiet for the remainder of the day. He knew he had upset her with his lack of affection toward her, and had been up half the night thinking of ways he could make things right. At about two thirty in the morning, he had it. Without thinking of the time, he had reached over for the phone and began his mission to show her how much she did mean to him.

"Hey."

Martha flinched, but didn't move from the sofa and continued reading her book. Aaron moved closer. He thought to himself how adorable she looked dressed in a pale blue jogging suit, her hair piled on top of her head. But she didn't move from her position on the couch. Without thinking, Aaron reached out and stroked the bare skin revealed at the bottom of her neck. He felt her tense slightly at his touch and quickly drew his hand away. "Are you okay?" he asked tentatively.

"I'm fine," she responded curtly, still not turning to look at him.

Aaron stared at the back of her head for a few seconds then began to walk round the couch to face her. Looking down at her, he responded, "You don't sound fine."

"I'm reading, Aaron." Martha finally glanced over the top of her glasses and looked at him. His face was a picture of confusion. She felt her heartstrings tug as she watched his folorn face, but she wasn't ready to let him off the hook just yet. Without smiling at him, she found her place in her book again and continued reading. Aaron watched her for a few seconds then sat on the far side of the couch. He knew she was upset after yesterday, and he wasn't sure how to make things right between them. All he knew was that if he had blown his one chance of being happy in this life, he would never forgive himself. Trying again, he edged closer to her. "Good book?"

"Very good." She tucked her legs underneath her and turned her body away from his. She could smell the faint scent of his cologne as he moved toward her, and she was finding it increasingly difficult to keep her eyes on the page.

"You want a drink?" Aaron sighed as he stood up and moved toward the kitchen. She was obviously not going to make this easy for him, and he had no idea what his next move would be. It was becoming apparent to him that the time he had spent planning in the early hours of this morning would have been wasted if she wouldn't even talk to him.

"Peppermint tea would be nice, thank you," Martha shouted after him. He winced at the air of formality her voice had taken. Slamming the switch of the kettle to "on," he slumped against the kitchen counter. What had he done?

Martha looked at the book she was holding and realized she had read the same line now at least four times. It was no use, she could say to her mind that she didn't want the man standing in her kitchen, but her heart was screaming at her to stop behaving like a petulant child and go make things right. Throwing the book to the floor, she stood up and walked toward the kitchen. Standing in the doorway, she watched his back slumped over the kitchen surface and slowly and silently moved toward him. When she was standing behind him, she reached out and placed her small hand on the back of his jacket. He moved slightly at her touch, but did not turn to face her. Slowly and deliberately, she began to move her hand up and down his back, tracing circles with her palm. Noticing him relaxing into her touch, she smiled slightly and slid her body between him and the kitchen counter. She reached out and took his bowed head in her hands and pulled him toward her. Softly stroking his soft hair, she moved her hand to under his chin and gently pulled his face up to look at her. Seeing the total look of devastation in his eyes, she was lost. But she smiled as he stood to his full height and gazed into her eyes.

"Martha...I..." he began.

"Ssh." She moved her hand from under his chin and placed her fingers across his mouth. Reaching out with her free hand, she softly caressed the side of his face, until he began to nuzzle into it like a contented cat. Her hand moved slowly across his mouth to trace the outline of his lips. "Don't say anything," she whispered as she moved closer and replaced her hand with her lips. It wasn't a heated kiss like many of their previous, but a gentle, tender kiss. As she moved her mouth over his, she felt his hands slide up her side to frame her face. After stroking her soft skin for a few seconds, he moved his hands to her hair, reaching for the barrette that held it in place, and with one swift move, unclipped it so her hair fell about her shoulders in soft waves. Pulling back from her slightly, he reached up and gently took off the glasses that had been perched precariously on the end of her nose. Folding them, he reached behind her and placed them on the counter. Still without saying a word, he slid his hands through her sweet-smelling hair, and pulled her closer to deepen her kiss. Letting him take control now, Martha felt her body mold against his -- they were such a perfect fit, she wondered how she could have ever imagined living without him. Again, she felt the shockwaves of desire run through her body, and thought to herself that the reasons Aaron had been keeping his distance, her marriage still to Charles and his respect for the oath he took in his job, still were there. She finally began to understand why he had kept his distance. She made the decision to pull away before she got carried away and would yet again be disappointed. Aaron looked at her, confused, but kept his tight hold of her.

"I'm just playing by your rules, Aaron," Martha whispered in his ear, allowing her tongue to sneak out and brush his lobe gently.

"I'm beginning to think my aren't all they're cracked up to be." He smiled down at her. "See, now you're seeing things my way." She grinned at him and before she knew it, he had grabbed hold of her waist and lifted her onto the surface behind her. She shrieked in shock and giggled as Aaron quickly looked at the door expecting the cavalry to come charging in. Waiting a few seconds to be sure noone outside the house had heard her scream he turned his attention back to Martha who was still giggling her hand across her mouth.

Pulling it away, she looked over his shoulder. "I don't think anyone heard us, I mean there's..." Before she could finish the sentence, Aaron had locked his lips on hers again, this time attacking them hungrily. Martha, shocked at the intensity of his kiss, responded readily and pulled him closer to her, locking her legs around his waist. All at once his hands were everywhere. Gently tugging on her hair, moving down her back to the bottom of her top, he slid his hands underneath. Martha gasped as his cold hands met her hot skin. Pulling herself back from his embrace, she reached for his face and grasped it in her hands. "You know.." she said, gasping for breath. "Your rules do have a certain old-fashioned charm to them." She leaned forward again and nipped at his lower lip. "In fact, I'm starting to feel that maybe you're right." Sliding forward, she gracefully slipped off the counter. "I certainly wouldn't want to compromise your integrity and all." Grinning at his flustered face, she pecked a kiss on the tip of his nose. "But that was a very nice way to say hello." Moving from his grasp, she sauntered back into the living room, allowing her hips to sway gently. Turning back she stifled a laugh at his shocked face. "Oh and honey? The kettle's boiled."

Aaron poured the steaming water from the kettle and thought back to what had just happened. He was slightly puzzled. He had been seconds away from doing what he thought Martha had wanted. Hell, from doing what he, too, wanted to do, when she had pulled away. Glancing over his shoulder into the living room, he could see her resuming her place on the couch, her hair was a mess and her cheeks were flushed. But to him, she had never looked more beautiful. Picking up the mugs, he wandered back to the living room to join her. "So, you want to tell me what just happened there?" He placed the cups on the table and joined her on the couch.

Martha pushed her hair back from her still burning cheeks and smiled at him. Reaching across the distance between them, she took his hand and gently began to stroke the rough skin. "Aaron, I was unfair to you when you arrived. I was behaving like a spoiled child who hadn't gotten what she wanted on her birthday. One of the reasons I fell in love with you was your integrity and your beliefs, and it was unfair of me to try to compromise them. I know how you feel about me. You might not say it as often as I would like." She chuckled slightly. "But when I look into your eyes, all I need to know is right there. And I understand why you want to wait before we...uh...well, you know." Her cheeks flushed again at her words. "Anyway what I wanted, what I am trying to say is that I understand and I am prepared to wait. Until my divorce is finalized, and until you are no longer in charge of my security. I just hope that I haven't spoiled what we already have." She sighed and stared into his eyes, waiting for a response.

"You know, Martha," Aaron picked up her hand that was still clutching his and held it to his chest. "I never thought it was possible, but every day I spend with you, I fall in love with you a little bit more. Believe me when I say that it is not easy to be here and to hold back the way I have been doing. Not easy at all. But when we make that final commitment to each other, I don't want there to be any obstacles in our way. I don't want it to be furtive and scandalous. I want it to be..." He paused for a moment searching for the right word. "I want it to be perfect. Can you understand that?"

Martha pressed her hand against his heart and replied honestly. "Perfectly."

"And for the record. I do love you."

"I love you, too. So much." She cast a quick glance out of the window to make sure her agent was not lurking, and seeing no one there she closed the gap between them and kissed him tenderly on the mouth. It held none of their earlier urgency but it was just as sweet and fulfilling for her.

Aaron smiled at her and jumped to his feet. In all the earlier distractions, he had nearly forgotten his late night planning and reaching down to her pulled her up to her feet. "Okay, ma'am. I am going to ask you to grab your coat, put on your shoes, and follow me." Martha looked at him, and a flicker of confusion passed her face. Aside from a visit to her mother and two covert trips to the local store, she had not left her house in nearly a month. "Why? Where are we going?"

"I would appreciate it if you would not ask questions, ma'am, and just follow me." He pasted on a face of stoic sincerity and moved toward the door. Glancing back at her, he noticed her face break into a grin, and found it contagious as his facade dropped and he smiled along with her. "Just humor me, Martha. Please."

"Well, where are we going? Can I at least get changed first?" She gestured down to her baby blue jogging suit. "This is hardly an outfit to be taken out in."

"Actually, it is the perfect attire for where we are going. But if you hurry, you will have time to wipe off that smudged lipstick and comb your hair." He grinned at her as she dashed off to the bathroom.

"Oh, come on, Aaron -- you know I hate secrets; where are we going?"

He glanced over at her and thought again how young and relaxed she looked; she had fixed her make up, and her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, her face obscured by a Dallas Cowboys baseball cap she had stolen from him. Returning his eyes to the road, he replied. "You don't hate secrets, Martha. You have no patience. There is a big difference." Anyway, we are nearly there -- just up this hill.

Martha peered out of the windshield and looked at the road ahead. She wasn't sure, but it seemed familiar. Then as Aaron turned the car round the next corner, she gasped in surprise as she recognized the huge gates they approached. She laughed happily and turned to him. "Oh, Aaron. Universal Studios? I haven't been here in years."

"Now, I may have some connections in this town, but even I couldn't arrange for the lots to be cleared for your private viewing. So I got the next best thing. Now do me one security favor -- pull your cap down a little and put on your sunglasses. Just while we clear the gate." Martha did as he asked, and sat quietly as Aaron showed his credentials to the guard at the gates, and within seconds the car began to move again. "Okay, all clear."

Martha readjusted her cap and giggled. "I feel like I should have worn an old Groucho Marx moustache or something." Excitedly looking through all the car windows, she began to feel like a child. "Okay, so now I know where we are -- can you tell me what we are doing here?"

Aaron pulled the car to a halt and turned off the ignition. "Well, at the moment, darlin', we are parking." He cut her off before the innuendo could pass her lips. "And I don't mean in the teenage sense of the word!"

"I never said a word!"

"You were thinking it. Come on." He opened the door and stepped out into the now darkening sky. He moved to open Martha's door, but she had already jumped out, and was bouncing toward him a huge smile on her face. Taking her hand, his instinct took over and he scanned their surroundings. Seeing nothing of importance, he began to walk, pulling her alongside him.

"Aaron, look the _CSI _set. I love that show. Couldn't we just jump on the tour? I'm sure no one would recognize me." She circled him like a child, and he couldn't help but smile at her obvious excitement.

"Next time, I promise. But for now, I think you will like what I have planned." They kept walking past various hangers until they reached the busy run of restaurants on CityWalk. Pulling her closer toward him, he whispered in her ear, "Just stay close by for a few minutes, just while we get through this crowd. Then I promise you can let go of my hand and run around to your heart's content.

"Okay, but for the record, I like holding your hand," she whispered back in his ear. She watched the hustle of the crowds and couldn't help a small pang of jealousy. She knew that when Charles took office, her life would no longer be her own to do as she pleased, but she couldn't help wishing she could be as carefree as the people she now watched. But she did as she was told and kept a firm grip on Aaron's hand and bowed her head slightly. The likelihood of her being recognized was slim, but she understood Aaron's concern for her safety and the need for making themselves blend in with the crowd. She smiled to herself as she remembered what she was wearing and thought that even if someone thought they saw the former First Lady beneath the hat and glasses, they would surely dismiss the thought when they saw her in an every day jogging suit. Lost in her thoughts, she hadn't noticed that Aaron had stopped walking and was standing in front of a large restaurant. She stopped and glanced up at the flashing sign above her, breaking into a grin she laughed. _The Saddle Ranch Chop House_. She looked back at Aaron who had a nervous look on his face.

Looking into her eyes, he was pleased to see she was grinning at him. The night before when he had thought of what he could do to make her feel like any normal woman for a day, this restaurant was the first that came to mind. His friend from back home had opened the place years back, and it was one of the most popular places to be on CityWalk. Joe sure wasn't happy at being woken in the early hours of the morning, and when Aaron had asked his favor of him, was even less amused. He had finally relented when Aaron told him of the person he was planning on bringing and his feelings for her. He had been cautious of going into too much detail, but knew he could trust Joe. After an hour of pleading his case, Joe had relented and agreed to shut the place down for three hours this evening. He made it abundantly clear that even three hours was losing him a lot of business, but he had heard the desperation in Aarons voice and who was he to stand in the way of true love, as he had put it. Now he just prayed that his plan would work and she would enjoy all he had arranged. Glancing at her face again, his stomach flipped when he realized she was looking at him with worry in her eyes.

"Aaron. I'm a vegetarian," she said solemly, and watched as his face dropped. "I'm kidding! I'm kidding!" She laughed and smiled as he put on a stern look.

"Thats not funny," he said, not able to hold back the smile in his voice.

"Oh, come on," she nudged him in the side, "it is a little." Taking his hand she pulled him toward the door. "Come on, let's go in."

Pulling her back, he began to walk to the side of the building. "Not that way. Round the back." They walked down the littered alley beside the building and came to an iron gate. Before he opened it, he turned to her. "Now close your eyes."

"What? Why?"

"Humor me, Martha, please."

Sighing dramatically, she did as he asked and felt him move behind her, his arms resting on her waist. Resisting the urge to peek, she kept her eyes tightly closed as they walked slowly toward their final destination. Feeling him stop her, she stood still, her stomach fluttering in anticipation. She thought to herself that she honestly didn't care what he had planned, just this small part of their day had made her feel more like a human being again than a lifetime with Charles.

"Okay. Open them," he whispered in her ear, and she felt him chuckle as she jumped at his close proximity.

Opening her eyes slowly, she gasped at what she saw. An outside dance floor looked as if it was lit with a thousand stars. On closer inspection, she realized that the edge of the raised stage had been surrounded with hundreds of tea lights set in glass.

"Oh Aaron..." She found herself at a loss for words. "Its...its beautiful." She let go of his hand and began to walk toward the scene that someone had obviously spent a long time setting. She tried to take it all in at once. The dance floor, the candles. Looking to her right, she saw just off the dance floor a rug had been laid out beside a burning fire. A small picnic hamper sat on top of it and a small stereo. Moving past her still form, Aaron walked towards the stereo and flicked it on, the sound of Ella Fitzgerald filled the night sky. Martha hugged herself as she recognized the opening bars to one of her favourite songs, " Isn't it romantic_?"_ Aaron turned from where he had been standing, finding just the track he wanted and slowly began to walk toward her. He stopped in front of her and carefully reached up and took off the cap and glasses she had been wearing. Throwing them to the ground he slid his hands up her arms which he noticed were covered in goosebumps. Concerned, he turned to her. "Cold?"

"Not one little bit." She smiled at him, a lone tear escaping her left eye.

"In that case," he bowed formally, "may I have this dance?"

"You may." She sniffed and wiped at her eyes before allowing herself to be taken in his arms and whisked onto the dance floor. Letting her head fall to his shoulder she moved her body with his to the music. They stayed in that position for what seemed like an eternity, their bodies moulding into the other, swaying in time to the soft strains of the song until Martha slowly lifted her head from her comfortable position. She stood on tiptoe and whispered in his ear, "And in answer to your choice of song. Yes. It is very romantic. In fact, I think this is the most romantic thing anyone has ever..." She stopped suddenly as she caught sight of something over his shoulder. "Um, Aaron...?" she whispered, "Is that a mechanical bull?"

"No way!" Martha exclaimed for the third time.

"Oh come on, it's easy. Don't make me show you again." Aaron slid from the plastic bull and bounced across the safety floor toward her. "You ride horses don'tcha?"

"Yes, I ride, as you well know, but the horses I ride don't have an urge to throw me to the ground!"

He reached her side and climbed over the small wall. "Come on, one time. For me."

Martha looked into his face. He had ridden the bull twice now, and the second time had managed to stay on for thirty seconds. She had never laughed so much in her life, she thought. But to actually get on the thing...she looked into his eager face and sighed. "Okay, one try, but you have to catch me if I...well, when I fall. Deal?"

"Deal!" He grabbed her hand and pulled her over to the rubber floor. She stumbled as her feet hit the unfamiliar surface, and he grabbed her arm to steady her. Together they bounced toward the bull and he turned to face her. She was looking at the creature with a mixture of fear and excitement in her eyes. "You ready?" he laughed.

"As I'll ever be! Now, how in the world does one get on this thing?"

Aaron held out his hand, "Here, I'll give you a leg up." She placed her sneaker-clad foot on his hand and rather ungracefully pulled herself on to a sitting position. "Now hold on tight."

Gripping onto the handle in front, her knuckles turned white with the ferocity of her grip. "Believe me, I am holding on tight. I'll tell you now if I break any major bones -- I'll set my other agents on you."

Laughing again at her look of determination, he moved slightly away from her.

Glaring at him, she shouted, "Where do you think you're going?"

"Martha. I can't hold your hand; just hold on, and you'll be fine. Okay, I'm setting it on beginner for you, are you ready?" he asked again.

Laughing loudly, she threw her head back, her eyes glinting now with anticipation. "GO!" she shouted. Aaron flicked the switch and watched as the bull began to buck; he watched as after only five seconds, she fell to the floor. Waiting for her to get up, he panicked when she didn't. Running to her side, he crouched down to her.

"Martha, are you alright?" He pulled her hands from her face and found her laughing hysterically, tears streaming down her face. Relieved, he found her laugh contagious and joined in. "I take it you enjoyed that?" He smiled at her. "Okay, you had your turn, let's eat." He moved to stand up and found himself being dragged back down to the floor.

"Eat? Are you kidding? I'm getting back on this thing." She stood up wobbily, "Now give me another leg up."

"Martha. Darlin', please. I think you've proven your point." He looked down to where she lay on the floor after yet again being bucked off the bull.

"So you admit I stayed on longer than you?" She jumped up to a standing position and went to get back on the bull. Before she could swing her leg over, she found herself back on the floor. Aaron had grabbed her leg and pulled her to the ground. Wrapping his arms tightly around her, he moved toward her and brushed his lips against hers. He was pleased when she responded hungrily. If truth be known, kissing her was all he could think of to distract her from getting back in the saddle. Pulling away slightly, he kissed a trail down her neck to the collar of her thin jacket. "I never knew you could be so competitive." He laughed.

Nudging his head back up so she could reclaim his lips, she whispered into his mouth, "Honey, just never try me with Scrabble!" Letting herself be pulled back into his embrace, she found all thoughts of getting back on the bull gone as all she could concentrate on was the feeling of his warm, firm body against hers. She turned slightly so she was sitting astride him, never once losing contact with his mouth, until laughing, she pulled away. "You know its kinda like making out on a water bed." She grinned refering to the safety floor they were lying on.

Putting on a mock stern look, he pulled her back to him so her chest was pressed against his. "And how many times have you made out on a water bed?" he asked her playfully.

"Well...none, but I'll bet this is what it feels like." She looked into his eyes and thought to herself she had never had anyone do the things he had done for her today. The thought made her well up again. Noticing, Aaron pulled them to a sitting position.

"Hungry?"

"Famished!"

After Aaron pulled them both upright, they made their way to solid ground and toward the fire that had been burning away. Flopping to the ground, Martha stretched, cat-like on the gingham blanket. "You know, I think I have muscles aching I never knew I had."

Sitting beside her, Aaron pulled the wicker basket toward them. "Well, you know the best cure for that?"

"A massage from a handsome Secret Service Agent?" she purrred.

"Nope." He flicked open the lid of the basket. "S'mores!"

"You know," Martha began, licking the melted chocolate from her lips, "being the former First Lady and all, I have eaten in some of the finest restaurants in the world. But I can honestly say I have never eaten anything so delicious. Where have these been all my life?" She sat back and placed the metal skewer to one side. "You know, I am so full."

Laughing at her again, he pulled her between his legs and she allowed her head to fall back against his chest. "Well, I have been on many a camping trip with Nate, and we have put away a fair few in our time. But I have to say, I have never seen someone eat ten in a row." He wrapped his arms around her and smelled the sweet scent of her hair.

Yawning, Martha cuddled back into him. "Oh, what the hell, I'll ride the Life Cycle tomorrow. That should burn 'em off." She looked up at the night sky now lit with stars and sighed happily. Closing her eyes, she thought to herself she had never felt so at peace. "Camping, huh?" she murmured.

"Yup. Every year until he enlisted."

"Maybe we could go. You know when things calm down a little."

"I would be proud to take you. But you do know there is nowhere to plug in your hair dryer in the woods."

Turning in his arms, she elbowed him in the ribs. "Hey. I could camp."

"Martha, my darlin', I think you could do anything you set your mind to. Of that I have no doubt." He pulled her toward him and she fell against his chest. He nibbled on her lower lip, tasting the remnants of chocolate and graham crackers. Holding her closer, he lazily ran his tongue along her lips until she could bear it no more and opened her mouth to him. The kiss wasn't frantic -- just the sweet and tender end to a perfect day. "As much as I hate to break the mood, Joe's gonna be here in ten minutes to clean this up. And I should get you home. You look tired."

"I'm not tired." Martha said trying to hide a big yawn. "Alright, maybe i'm a little tired. Just promise me one thing."

"Anything."

"When things settle down, we'll come back here. You know, we'll make it 'our place.'"

"I promise."

"Good. And next time, maybe you'll beat me on the bull!" Laughing, she captured his lips with hers again and they lay back, allowing themselves to enjoy the last few minutes they had together.

"So, I suppose you have to go?" Martha said quietly as they stood in the low light of her front room.

"You know I do." He sighed and took her hands in his. "If it's any help, I don't want to go."

As she stroked the rough skin of his hands and looked into his eyes, she could see a reflection of her own longing in them. "If it's any help, I understand why you have to."

He squeezed her hands tenderly. "It helps."

Martha let go of his warm hands and slowly walked to the window. Reaching for the heavy curtains that had been left open, she tugged them until they met, blocking the faint glow of the street lights. Walking to her end table, she flicked a switch and a low lamp came on. Heading back to where he stood watching her, she hid a yawn behind her hand.

"It's late." Aaron glanced at the clock -- it was nearly midnight. They had been out for almost seven hours. He waited until she reached his side and grabbed hold of her, holding her close to him. "You should go to bed."

Allowing herself to fall against his strong chest, she lay her head on his shoulder. They stood in like this in silence for a few seconds, Aaron gently rocking her. "Aaron." She whispered the words muffled against his coat.

"Yes, Martha." he replied, his words tickling the top of her hair.

"When I was ten, my parents took me to this fair. I remember being so excited. It was in the neighboring town to us. My older sister Catherine let me wear her old party dress. It was red and white gingham and had a run of lace around the bottom." She looked up at him to see him looking back with curiosity. "Anyway, I got all dressed up, and Cathy even let me wear her favorite barrettes; they were pink with sparkling butterflies on them."

"I bet you were a cute child," Aaron smiled.

"I was adorable," Martha grinned. "No trouble at all." She laughed as Aaron raised an eyebrow. "So we went to the fair, the whole family, and I stuffed my face with cotton candy. My father even took me on the Ferris Wheel. And as we sat watching the tops of the trees and houses together, I remember feeling so safe so happy, and until today, I can honestly say that I never felt that peace again. Until today. You make me feel safe, Aaron, you make me feel happy, and I want you to know that I am happy with us just as we are." She looked up at him again and noticed his eyes had started to well up. She reached up and stroked his face. "Hey, that's a good story I told you."

Sniffing, he tightened his grip on her. "I know. I want you to know that I feel exactly the same way about you, and the day your divorce is finalized, and I can hand in my notice..."

Leaning in, she stopped him midsentence with a kiss. Breaking away, she muttered against his lips. "Honey, on that day, there will be no more goodnights like this -- no more goodbyes." Kissing him again, she smiled against his mouth. "You will be up those stairs so fast you won't know what hit you." She laughed at her own boldness and felt him slowly pull away from her.

"I look forward to that day, darlin'." Now I have to go." He pushed a loose strand of hair from her face and moved toward the door. Turning to face her, he gently pressed his lips against hers one last time. "Goodnight, Martha."

"Goodnight, Aaron." She watched as he opened the front door and disappeared into the night. Smiling to herself ,she realized how tired she was. Tossing her purse on the table, she noticed the pile of letters she had left from earlier. Sighing, she pushed them to one side; she would finish them tomorrow. Turning to walk upstairs, she missed the brown envelope that sat on the top of the pile. An envelope that held a headed letter embossed in gold bearing the name of her lawyers. The letter that, if she had read it, would have told her she no longer bore the name of Logan.


	3. Chapter 3

The incessant buzzing of her alarm finally permeated its way to the forefront of Martha's brain and, with a rather ungraceful lunge, she hit the snooze button for the fifth time. Rolling onto her side, she glanced at the digital display: 8:30. Later than she normally slept, but she couldn't think of anything urgent she had to get up for, and so snuggled back under the coziness of her duvet. Almost catlike, she stretched her body until her toes hit the end of her bed. She winced as a sharp pain ran through her legs. Fully awake now, she pulled herself up to a sitting position and stretched her arm, too. Lord, she felt as if she had gone ten rounds with Mike Tyson. She grinned as she remembered the events of the night before. The fun she had had. And it was all thanks to Aaron. The few precious hours they had spent together were worth any discomfort she felt today, though she felt with definite assurance she would not be riding any bulls for at least a few weeks.

She slid her slender legs out of the confines of the warm bed and exhaled deeply as they hit the cool air. She reached for her robe and slowly made her way to the bathroom, wrapping herself in it as she went. Normally when she awoke, she would do half an hour on the treadmill or at least fifty lengths of the pool. However, this morning she decided she most definitely would not be able to manage it. In fact, the only thing that was in her thoughts at this time was her luxuriating in her large marble tub. Flicking on the taps, she sat on the edge of the bath and again thought back to the night before. She knew he loved her. She had always known that. But last night he had given her something more precious than jewels or perfume. He had given her, her life back. If only for a few short hours, she had felt more alive and more like Martha than she had since she was a girl back in Boston. She sighed as she wondered if he knew that something so simple had made her happier than she ever thought was possible again. Reaching for the bubble bath, she opened the cap and poured some under the gushing water. She remembered his words as they had said goodnight. She knew in her heart of hearts that he didn't want to leave her, and she did not want him to go. But while they were still in the positions they were in, she knew nothing could move forward. Suddenly feeling very depressed, she looked down at her hand which was still pouring the $200 scented bubbles into her bath and quickly placed the bottle on the ledge, glancing down at her bath, which by now resembled a snow drift. She turned off the faucet and let her robe slip to the floor as she sank under the soothing waters. She closed her eyes. Ever the procrastinator, she would think about this when she had allowed her aching muscles to be soothed by the hot water.

Remembering the feel of Aaron's arms around her last night, Martha smiled to herself as she played with the bubbles. Lifting them in her hand and blowing, she was rapidly making her bathroom resemble the Arctic Circle. Letting her head fall back, she allowed herself to be fully submerged by the rapidly-growing-lukewarm water. Opening her eyes under the water, she looked up at the ceiling and thought that her moving a few states over was not going to make her life any easier, just as what Aaron had done for her last night was not going to make their relationship any easier. She finally knew what he had been telling her for months now: that while she was still married, and he was still on her detail, nothing could happen between them. Sitting up quickly, she gasped for air. She thought back to the day they had arrived at her LA home and how she thought everything would be perfect, that everything would just fall into place. Pushing her hair out of her face, she finally realized that after being married to Charles for so many years and she was accustomed to not having to work at anything. Their marriage had simply plodded along, neither of them willing or even wanting to take steps to make things better. Now she saw Aaron was different; she wanted to make her life with him work. And to do that, she needed to work at it, and not just by her attempts at seduction. She had to make him see that she understood his reluctance to take that final step, and that she finally did understand where he was coming from. And that she was fully prepared to do things correctly and in accordance with his wishes, no matter how long they had to wait. Martha was prepared to put in the energy to make this relationship work.

Hearing the phone ring from her bedroom, Martha glanced at the clock: 9:30. She had been in the tub for over an hour. She felt the hairs on her arms stand on end and knew it wasn't just because of the water, now rapidly growing cold, but also because she just knew that it was him on the other end of the line. Jumping out of the tub, she reached for a towel and practically sprinted back into the bedroom. Her wet feet slipping slightly on the hardwood flooring, she skidded to a halt at the bed, just as she heard a loud knock come from the other side of her door. Wrapping her towel tighter around her, she reached for the phone at the same time as calling "Come in!" to the closed door. Unfortunately, as she reached for the receiver, her grip on the towel slackened, and to her horror, the towel slipped in a puddle at her feet. Glancing over at the doorway, she noticed Agent Hemlett quickly turn his back on her, not before seeing his plump face turn a delightful shade of beetroot.

"I'm sorry, Mrs Logan. I was just doing my check -- you're usually downstairs by now. But ..but...but I can see you're fine, so I will be outside the door if you need me...anything...I..I." Moving quicker than she had ever seen the slightly overweight Agent move. He positioned himself on the other side of her door.

Martha reached for the towel and wrapped it tightly around her figure. Still holding the receiver, she could hear a muffled voice coming from it, and still in a slight state of shock, held it to her ear.

"Martha? Martha, are you there? What's wrong?" Aaron's voice took on a tone of concern as the other end of the line remained silent.

Regaining the use of her voice. Martha sat heavily down on the edge of her bed. "I'm here."

"Are you alright? You sound out of breath. Were you running?" Aaron's voice teased her.

"Ummm, you could say that." Martha felt her face flushing. "I'm not sure how to say this...but I think I just flashed Agent Hemlett."

"WHAT!" Martha held the phone slightly away from her ear as Aaron's voice got louder. " What on earth happened?"

"Ummm." Martha twisted a piece of hair around her finger. " Well, let's just say it involved a wet floor, you calling and me in a towel. Oh god, I am never gonna be able to look him in the eye again, am I?"

"Martha, darlin', he's seen it all before. Granted, not yours, but...he's a professional, and he will behave as such." Aaron couldn't help a smile flitter across his lips, although a large part of him was incredibly annoyed that Agent Hemlett had got to see Martha naked before him. Pushing the thought from his mind, he chuckled down the phone. "You know I can't leave you alone for a few hours without you getting into some sort of trouble, can I?" He smiled.

"Well, in that case, maybe you should get over here before I accidently give the gardener more than his check!" Martha teased. Smiling as she heard him laugh at her, she thought back to what she had seriously been thinking about in the bath before her Dance of the Seven Towels routine. "Besides, Aaron, I think we need to talk."

"Alright. But everything's alright...with us, I mean?" Aaron's voice betrayed the concern he was feeling.

"Yes." Martha wouldn't allow herself to melt at the Texan drawl she loved to hear. She had made up her mind. She wanted him to resign his position and stay away until her divorce had come through. She knew it sounded extreme, but she also knew that they couldn't continue the way things were. She didn't want half measures anymore, she wanted him and only him. And until he was prepared to give himself completely to her, and she was in a position to be able to give herself body and soul to him, carrying no extra baggage, she knew it was the right thing to do. Now she just had to persuade Aaron to stay away, without scaring him away for good.

"I don't understand. Did I do something wrong last night?" Aaron sat on the couch and gazed into her eyes, which were rapidly filling with tears.

"No, no, Aaron. You did nothing wrong, last night was everything I dreamed of. But not _everything._ Does that make sense?" She resumed her pacing of the living room and looked back at him. He still had such a look of confusion on his face, and she could literally feel her heart breaking. Taking a deep breath, she slowly walked toward him and sat next to him on the couch. Taking his face in her hands, she stroked his cheek seductively. Leaning closer she allowed her tongue to snake out and softly brush against his lips. Increasing the pressure, she moaned slightly as he opened his mouth against hers and let his tongue brush painfully slowly against hers. Pulling away, Martha looked into his eyes. "Now what do you feel?" she asked, her forehead still touching his.

"I don't understand." Aaron leaned in as if to capture her soft lips again.

Martha pulled her head back further and leaned against the back of the couch staring straight ahead. "What do you feel? When we kiss. When we touch. What do you want?"

"Martha, I'm confused." Aaron sat forward and reached for one of Martha's hands. "You know how I feel about you. I love you. I want to be with you. Always."

Martha smiled and turned to face him again. "Exactly. When we first came here all those months ago, I was happy just to touch you, just to feel your lips against mine. But now I want more. Call me selfish, but I don't want to have to say goodnight to you and leave you at my bedroom door. I want to pull you into my bedroom. I want to wake up next to you. When I fall asleep I want your face to be the last thing I see, and when I wake up I want to be the first thing you see when you open your eyes. But I know that this can't happen. At least, not yet." She stopped and slightly panicked looked at Aaron who had pulled his hand away and was now stood with his back to her. "I don't know what I did to have someone like you come into my life. But everyday I thank God for it. I love you, Aaron. I know you love me. But we can't be together until my divorce clears. If it was up to me, I would have had you up those stairs weeks ago, but that wouldn't have been you. You are what I fell in love with. Your integrity, your morals, and I know that if we had taken that final step together it would have felt wrong to you. I don't want that. When we're together, I want it to be the rightest thing we have ever done."

Aaron slowly turned to face her, a smirk on his face. "The rightest?" He grinned. "And here I thought you went to college."

Standing in front of him, Martha took a playful swipe at his arm. "Okay. So maybe that wasn't Shakespeare, but you know how I am feeling -- I know you do."

Aaron sighed and pulled her towards him. In her bare feet she was a couple of inches shorter than him, and he liked the way her head rested on his shoulder. Leaning in, he kissed the still-damp blonde curls. "I do understand. I might not like it. But I understand. So how exactly is this gonna work?"

Without moving, Martha softly spoke. "I think the first thing you need to do is resign your commision to me. Get reassigned, take a sabbatical, whatever you think. Then..." Her voice trailed off.

Holding her tighter against him he muttered into her hair. "Then?"

"Then I think you should go." Martha kept her head on his shoulder enjoying the comfort it brought her, but also it allowed the tears that were falling down her face to go unnoticed by him. "Just until my divorce is final." Wiping quickly at her eyes, she looked up into his. "And believe me, I will be on the phone to my attorneys the second you leave this house, pushing them to speed things up." Feeling her heart ache, she reached with her hands between them and gently pushed him back from her. "Please go now." She bit her bottom lip until she could taste the metallic taste of blood in her mouth. "I love you."

Without breaking eye contact with her, Aaron walked backwards to the front door. "I love you, too, and I will see you soon." Turning away, he marched out of the door into the sunlight.

Watching him through the window, Martha held her tears inside for as long as possible, then flinging herself onto the couch, she let the tears flow and sobbed in earnest.

"Mrs Logan?"

Martha didn't move from her position on the couch, her head still buried under a cushion. She had no idea how long she had been in this position, but from the cramp in her leg it had been a while. Turning her head slightly but not looking at her agent, she spoke, "What is it?"

The agent shuffled on his feet. He hadn't heard what had happened between Mrs Logan and Agent Pierce but from the way Aaron had left, he knew it wasn't good. He had listened to his charge sobbing for the last forty minutes, and had finally plucked up the courage to come into the house. "Mrs. Logan, can I get you a drink?" As he said the words he began to regret coming into the house. He knew, along with the other agents, that there was something going on between the former First Lady and her head of security, but he along with the others had turned the other cheek. They all had too much respect for Aaron, and they all held a soft spot for Mrs. Logan. However, he also knew that whatever had happened an hour ago was none of his business. But he would have had to have had a heart of stone not to be affected by the heartbreaking sobs coming from the front room. And after minutes of deliberation he had chosen to come into the house. He had collected the mail from the postman and so thought that to be a good excuse to check on the broken blonde he now saw.

Martha wiped at her eyes before pulling herself to a sitting position. Looking at the man who stood in front of her, her cheeks flushed slightly as she realized it was Agent Hemlett, who only hours ago had seen more of her than he should. The embarrassment passed quickly and another wave of sadness swept across her as she remembered Aaron leaving her house. Shaking the thought from her head, she gave Agent Hemlett a weak smile. "No, thank you. I think I will do it myself."

"As you like, Mrs. Logan...here." He passed the mail in his hands to her and she took it from him.

"Thank you. If you don't mind, Agent, I would like to be on my own now. I will be in the kitchen." Martha smiled to soften the words.

"Of course. Please call if you need...well, if there is anything you want." Agent Hemlett took one last look at her, satisfied that she was alright and left the house.

Martha looked down at the letters in her hand and made her way into the kitchen. Throwing the mail on to the table, she noticed the smaller pile left from yesterday. Feeling fresh tears spring to her eyes, she remembered why they remained unopened. She remembered Aaron pulling his cap down over her face, his fingers smoothing her hair back, him holding her close when she had fallen off that damn bull for the hundredth time. letting the tears escape her blue eyes she slumped onto a chair and rested her head on the kitchen table. Had she done the right thing? For all she knew her divorce could be months before it became final. Could she really go all that time without seeing him? Pulling herself up suddenly, she swiped at the tears on her face and reached for the phone. Dialing, she cleared her choked throat and waited.

"Thomson, Boyd and Foley." The brisk female voice on the other end of the phone barked.

"Grace Boyd, please." Martha said, her voice betraying only a slight tremor.

"May I ask who is calling?"

"Yes, this is Martha Logan." Martha sat back in the chair and pushed her hair out of her face.

"One moment, Mrs. Logan." Martha nearly burst into a fresh flurry of tears as the hold music came on and "Isn't it Romantic" played. Once again her thoughts flew back to the evening before, to Aaron holding her on the dance floor, feeding her s'mores, no more goodbyes...She was snapped back to reality by the receptionist's voice.

"Putting you through, Mrs. Logan."

"Martha. How are you? I was expecting you to call...and before you say it...you're welcome." Grace Boyd, attorney-at-law, laughed though the phone.

"I'm sorry, Grace, I don't understand...I was calling to see if you had any news on my divorce...I understand these things can take time but with Charles not contesting it, and the circumstances, I expected..." Martha's voice trailed off as she heard Grace laughing on the other end of the line.

"Martha, sweetheart, you are no longer in the White House. You do know that you have to open your own mail now, right?" Grace's cheerful voice teased her.

"I..I..I don't understand." Martha stammered.

"Well, it was three days ago -- I can't understand why you wouldn't have received them by now. Mind you I do have a temp. Emma's got mono and I tell you some of the girls the agency sends me don't know one end of a hole punch from another...If you just hold, I'll..."

Martha let her attorney talk as she held the receiver away from her ear slightly and reached over to the pile of unopened mail from the day before. Flicking through the letters, she found the one she was looking for. Placing the receiver on the table, she turned the envelope over in her trembling hands, recognizing the familiar gold embossed stamp on the back. She tore at the envelope and pulled the contents out. Gasping she saw the first line of the papers..."Decree Absolute." Throwing the letter back to the table, she picked up the receiver.

"Hello Martha...Martha...are you there?"

"I'm here, Grace. Thank you, thank you...I have to go." Martha slammed down the phone and quickly dialed Aaron's number. Cursing as she got his voicemail, she threw the phone down and ran to the front door, flinging it open, and making Agent Hemlett jump out of his skin and throwing his lit cigarette to the floor.

"Mrs Logan, is everything alright..."

"Aaron...I mean, Agent Pierce. Where did he go?" she blurted out, almost shouting at the confused agent.

"Um...I'm not sure, Mrs. Logan, he left and..." Agent Hemlett stopped as the hurricane of Martha Logan flew back into the house.

Picking up the phone in the living room, she realized she had no idea what number she was dialing. Throwing the phone onto the couch, she reached for her address book. Flipping through it until she found the number she needed, she went to pick up the phone. Not seeing it on the couch, she flung the cushions onto the floor until she found it. She punched in the numbers and waited, drumming her fingers impatiently on the receiver. "Hello, hello -- this is Martha Logan..." she began until she realized she was talking to a machine. Waiting until the extension she needed came up, she pressed the number. She began pacing the room, wishing she had not given up smoking. "Oh, come on.." she said out loud. "I know you're the Secret Service, but the secret's out -- I have your number...oh for pete's sake, someone pick up..." She continued her pacing of the floor, until a voice murmured a greeting on the other end of the line. "Hello, hello... yes, this is Martha Logan...no, no everything is fine...yes, my agents are here...if you'll just let me...STOP!" she shouted at the agent. "This is Martha Logan. I am not in danger, my agents are all here, present and correct, there are not twenty terrorists knocking on my patio door. I simply need to ask you a question." Taking the silence for approval, she continued. " I am looking for Agent Pierce. He left here over an hour ago and I need to speak to him urgently. It's...it's a private matter."

"I am sorry, Mrs. Logan, Agent Pierce isn't here."

Martha breathed a sigh of relief; he hadn't resigned yet, that meant he was still in the city. "Well, if you see him, could you please get him to call me."

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Logan, what I meant to say was he has been here, but left. From what I understood, he had already cleared his resignation with you." The agent sounded confused.

"Yes..yes, he did...but I need to talk to him...did he say where he was going?"

"No ma'am, I'm sorry, he didn't. Can I be of any more help to you, Mrs. Logan?"

"No." She sighed. "No, you've done enough." Throwing the phone back onto the couch, she once again headed for the front door. Grabbing her coat from the hooks, she flung open the door. Agent Hemlett had another cigarette to his lips and again threw it unlit to the floor.

"Mrs. Logan, is..."

"We need to go out; can you get the car?" Martha blurted out.

"Where would you like to go, Mrs. Log..."

"Aaron's apartment, quickly, please." Martha pleaded with him.

Agent Hemlett took one look at her face, saw the urgency, and headed for the garage, speaking into his sleeve as he walked." Orchid is leaving the house. Agent Hemlett to acompany. Destination, 9 Jordan Heights, confirming arrival in approximately fifteen minutes." Martha stood at the top of her drive looking at her watch. It had been almost two hours since Aaron had left her house. Her stomach sunk as she realised that he could be on his way to God only knew where. She could only hope that he had stayed at his apartment. Watching as Agent Hemlett swung the car out of the garage, she didn't wait as he got out of the front seat to open the back door for her; instead she flung open the passenger door and was buckling up before Agent Hemlett had a chance to hurry back into the driving seat. "Please, Agent, as fast as you can."

"Agent Hemlett confirming Orchid's arrival. I'll check back in five...Mrs. Logan! Wait!" Agent Hemlett shouted after the blonde blur that was running toward the apartment block. Flinging open the door, he took chase after her. "Mrs. Logan please..." Finally catching up with her at the elevator, he took a gasp of much-needed air as he slid in beside her beside her just as the doors closed behind them. "Mrs. Logan..." Agent Hemlett gasped, "I know you're in a hurry, but you must wait for me, or the other agent with..." He stopped suddenly as he saw the look on her face. It reminded him of his wife when he had forgot her birthday. Closing his mouth, he slumped against the back wall; he was no fool -- he knew when to shut up.

Martha watched as the elevator floors changed in front of her. Impatient, she began pressing the third button over and over, stopping when she caught Agent Hemlett smirk out of the corner of her eye. Glaring at him, she stood back and waited. She smiled as she thought back to the day before... "You don't hate secrets, Martha. You have no patience. There is a big difference." Well, he was right about her having no patience -- she felt as if the elevator was moving at a snail's pace, taunting her. Finally she heard the familiar ping and went to rush on to the third floor. Agent Hemlett, however, had other ideas. He grabbed her arm the second she went to move.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Logan, I need to clear the floor. You will have to wait." Agent Hemlett stood in the doorway facing her.

Impatiently Martha pushed past him, looking left and right she turned back to him. "There are three apartments, the floor has two exits and is shorter than my garden. I think we're good to go!"

"Mrs. Logan, please." Pushing her gently back into the elavator. Agent Hemlett hid a smile as he cleared the floor. It was, as she had said, a pretty easy task. But he was damned if he was going to let her see that. "Okay. We're clear." He moved aside to let Martha pass and she ran to Aaron's door.

"Aaron! Aaron, it's Martha! Let me in, please!" she begged through the door as at the same time she pounded on the wood, simultaniously ringing the bell. "Aaron!" She peered through the mailslot. Nothing. Not even a light to show he was home. Banging on the door one last time, she felt the hot prick of tears rush to her eyes and slumped against the door, sliding down the wood until she hit the floor and began to sob. What had she done? For all she knew Aaron was halfway back to Texas by now. Reaching into her purse she pulled out her cell and again dialed the familiar number, and again it went straight to voicemail. Slamming the phone shut with anger she began to think. If he had gone home, he would be at the airport; glancing at her watch, she smiled. After all, not even Aaron could leave her house, resign, pack and get on a plane in under three hours. That must be where he is. The airport. Wiping her eyes she pulled herself up and ran back to the elevator. "Agent Hemlett...I need you to take me to LAX." Ignoring the agent's slight eyebrow raise, she got back into the elevator and pushed the ground floor button. "Oh for the love of..." Martha shouted, making Agent Hemlett jump, as the elevator stopped on the second floor. As the doors opened, Martha paced the small box. Turning to the door she saw an elderly woman with a walker and numerous bags hanging off each handle. After what seemed like an hour of the woman trying to manuevere herself into the small elevator, Martha snapped, "For God's sake, give her some help!" Agent Hemlett immediately moved to assist the woman balance herself inside and the doors finally closed. Martha sighed and looked over at Agent Hemlett. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap. It's just that I need to..."

"I understand." Agent Hemlett smiled.

Martha smiled back at her agent and he didn't need to say anything else. She knew that they had always known about her and Aaron. No matter how much Aaron had remained in denial about that fact. She knew they knew. And she knew that Agent Hemlett would break every speed limit going to get her to the airport. Feeling a little more relaxed, Martha waited as the old woman got out and muttered her thanks to Agent Hemlett. She waited as her agent got out first and cleared the floor. She waited until Agent Hemlett turned back toward her to give her the clear. She waited...but when he finally turned to face her all she saw on his face was a huge beaming smile. Confused she stepped out of the elevator, as she did she looked outside the main door behind him and saw a familiar red headed man walk towards the door carrying a brown paper bag. Feeling as if time had stood still, she didn't move for the first time in hours. Instead she stared at him until he saw her.

"Mrs. Logan," Agent Hemlett muttered, "you're good to go."

Martha smiled at the man's meaning and slowly began to walk toward Aaron. Her slow walk turned into a run and as she reached him she stopped, suddenly unsure of herself. "Aaron?" she whispered. "I thought you'd gone."

He smiled gently at her and gestured with his chin to the bag he was holding. "Well, I went to buy fresh fruit. What are you doing here, I thought we agreed that..." He stopped as he saw Martha's face break out into a huge smile. "You're kidding me?" He laughed. "Today? They came today?" He moved closer to her so all that separated them was the bag he held.

Suddenly unable to find her voice, Martha nodded and reached to take the bag from him. Peering in the top, she smiled. "Fresh raspberries, my favorite."

Aaron reached out with his free hand and nudged her chin so she was facing him, "Hey, did you come here to get me or my fruit?" He smiled.

Martha laughed out loud, feeling happier than she ever thought was possible, and reaching for the bag, she threw it to the floor. Feeling his arms around her, she leaned in for her first kiss as a single woman. His mouth met hers, and she let her hands run up the back of his light jacket and into his hair, pushing herself toward him, wanting to feel even closer than they were now. Gasping for breath at the intensity of his kiss, she pulled back slightly. "Aaron, I know that these last few months haven't been easy. I know that I have blown hot and cold with you. But I want you to know that I love you more than anything and I am truly sorry for pushing you away this morning."

Aaron moved his hands to tangle in her hair and held her face gently in his hands. "Martha, what you did this morning took amazing patience on your part. You didn't push me away -- you understood the dilemma I was in. You understood why I could never do the things I dreamed of every night to you."

Martha grinned. "You dreamed about me, huh?"

"Every damn night." He smiled back.

"How were these dreams?" Martha purred in his ear making him shiver at the contact.

"Unbelievable." Aaron whispered.

"Well, what do you say we go indoors and make some of those dreams become a reality." Martha grinned and felt her stomach flip as Aaron grinned back and gently took her hand and led her back toward his building. 


End file.
